Private, non-profit oceanographic research center in Moss Landing, California, founded in 1987 by David Packard
Researchers reveal a vast whale graveyard in the southeastern Indian Ocean, extending to depths of 7,000 metres and spanning hundreds of kilometres. The site hosts hundreds of fossil skeletons and five modern whale falls, highlighting a thriving deep-sea ecosystem that feeds on whale carcasses. The findings, published in Nature, deepen understanding of deep-sea life and whale evolution.
Scientists aboard the David Packard found Magnapinna sp, the deep-sea bigfin squid, hovering 3,277m below California. The sighting marks a rare confirmation, with prior observations numbering around 70. Researchers describe the creature’s wings, eight arms, and two tentacles.